NKG2D is an activating receptor that is expressed in humans and mice on NK cells and certain types of T cells. NKG2D recognizes UL16 binding protein (ULBP1), ULBP2, ULBP3, ULBP4, and MHC class I chain-related molecules (MICA and MICB) in humans, and minor histocompatibility antigen 60 (H60), retinoic acid early inducible transcript (RAE-1), and murine ULBP-like transcript 1 (MULT-1) in mice. NKG2D homodimers associate with the adaptor molecule DAP10, which contains the consensus p85 phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase (PI3-K) binding motif Tyr-Ile-Asn-Met (YINM, set forth as SEQ ID NO:9). NKG2D and DAP10 interact early in their biosynthetic pathway and this interaction is required for transport of NKG2D to the cell surface.